Easter message of the President of the Republic of Serbia

The President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic expresses his best wishes for Easter to His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej, clergy, monastics and all the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

I express my heartfelt best wishes for Easter to all the citizens of Serbia who celebrate Resurrection of Jesus Christ, wishing them to celebrate this greatest Christian feast-day in good hope and peace. During this period of the general affliction that has befallen the entire world, when people of all faiths and nations are brought through this terrible ordeal, we are celebrating our great feast with the hope that our prayers for the health, peace, well-being and common good of all mankind will find their way and be heard.

Great and Holy Pascha

On the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha, Orthodox Christians celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast of feasts is the most significant day in the life of the Church. It is a celebration of the defeat of death, as neither death itself nor the power of the grave could hold our Savior captive. In this victory that came through the Cross, Christ broke the bondage of sin, and through faith offers us restoration, transformation, and eternal life.

Patriarchal Paschal Encyclical 2020

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2020

+IRINEJ

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Paschal greeting:

Christ is Risen!

This is the day of Resurrection; let us be illumined by the feast!
Let us embrace each other joyously! Let us say even to those
who hate us: Let us forgive all by the Resurrection;
and so let us cry: Christ is risen from the dead,
trampling down death by death,
and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
[The Stichera of Pascha from Matins]

Here we are, dear brothers and sisters and dear spiritual children, in the festivity and joy of the great Feast Day: Pascha. Today is the Feast Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us rejoice and celebrate! Pascha is our greatest feast day, the feast of the victory of Life over death, God over Satan, Man, in Christ Jesus, over sin. Christ is risen from the dead! Let us say it to all and make glad all and everyone, even those who hate Him, the Resurrected God Man, and us, His inheritance here on earth, and those who do not believe and still doubt that He is the Redeemer and Savior of the world.

Patriarchal Liturgy in Cathedral Church in Belgrade

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch celebrated  the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at Cathedral church in Belgrade on 16 April 2020, on Holy and Great Thursday.

Telephone conversation between the Serbian President and the Serbian Patriarch

The President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vucic, had a telephone conversation with His Holiness Irinej, the Patriarch of Serbia. After the conversation, the joint statement of the two cabinets was issued:

President Vucic pointed out that he understood the need of the people and the Church to celebrate the greatest Christian feast-day, the Resurrection of Christ, for which the Holy Synod, with paternal care for their faithful, asked the state authorities. However, due to the current epidemiological situation in Serbia and consequent observing of the measures and instructions prescribed by the professionals, it is impossible to abolish the ban on movement during the curfew.

Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops

Communique of the Holy Synod of Bishops

From its session, held today, on April 13 of this year, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church addressed the state leadership of the Republic of Serbia with a proposal and a request to approve the suspension of the curfew imposed due to the pandemic of coronavirus – on Easter, from 5 to 10 o'clock in the morning, so that Orthodox Christians who are not in isolation and self-isolation could participate in the Morning service and the Liturgy on their greatest feast day.

At the same session, expressions of brotherly love and solidarity were sent to Metropolitan  Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, and of discontent at the actions of the Montenegrin authorities towards him.

From the Office of the Holy Synod of Bishops